Indulgence - Chapter 17
Chapter 17
Jiang Nian went to Moments again.
The bar wasn't as lively on a Monday night as it usually was. Several bartenders were idle, occasionally chatting with customers.
Ji Xi was on shift tonight. From a distance, Jiang Nian saw her in a cheerful conversation with a woman. Sensing the atmosphere wasn't quite right, she tactfully decided not to interrupt. After waiting a while, the woman seemed to have something to attend to and left, leaving Ji Xi to polish glass cups with her head down. Only then did Jiang Nian approach.
The bar's lighting was dim, and at first glance, Ji Xi didn't recognize Jiang Nian, thinking she was just another customer. Just as she was about to ask what she'd like to drink, she belatedly recognized the familiar smile.
"Changed your style?" Ji Xi said, looking Jiang Nian over.
"Does this look make your heart flutter?"
Ji Xi was used to Jiang Nian's nonsense and just laughed it off.
"Who was that just now? You two seemed to be having a great time. Another woman confessing her feelings for you?" Jiang Nian gossiped. She felt that Ji Xi's vibe was pretty "gay," and many women had confessed to her, but Ji Xi always turned them down, saying she wasn't gay.
Ji Xi explained, "Don't be ridiculous, that's my boss."
"You seem to have a good relationship with your boss, for her to come find you for a drink after work," Jiang Nian teased.
"Did you need something?" Ji Xi changed the subject. Jiang Nian had sent her a WeChat message during the day asking if she was working at the bar that night.
Jiang Nian took out a safety charm. "I went to Qingfeng Temple a couple of days ago and got a safety charm. I wanted to give it to you."
They were close, so Ji Xi accepted it directly. "Thanks."
"I prayed for it with all my heart. I was exhausted from climbing the mountain," Jiang Nian said, but despite her words, her face was wreathed in smiles.
"Alright, I'll buy you a drink."
"You don't have to." Jiang Nian smiled and declined. She knew Ji Xi was short on money right now; otherwise, she wouldn't be working two part-time jobs—tutoring and bartending—on top of her internship.
Ji Xi insisted, "It's just one drink."
Jiang Nian thought for a moment, then said, "How about you help me with something else instead?"
"What is it?"
Jiang Nian leaned in toward her and asked suggestively, "When is your boss usually around?"
"You mean Sister Ran?" There were two bosses, but Ji Xi knew Jiang Nian was asking about Yao Ran. After all, the first time they met that night, she had noticed Jiang Nian's eyes were practically glued to her.
Jiang Nian nodded.
"You want to pursue her?"
"Can't I?" Jiang Nian admitted it frankly. A crush was a crush, and she wouldn't hide it away like a secret. She preferred to take the initiative.
Ji Xi explained that the bar was just a side business for Yao Ran. She was usually very busy with work and only came a few times a month, unless there was an event or a gathering.
Not long after returning to Beilin, Yao Ran received a WeChat message from Jiang Nian. It was the first time they had contacted each other since adding one another. It was photos—the ones Jiang Nian had taken of her while they were hiking. She had said at the time that she would send them via WeChat.
Yao Ran had assumed Jiang Nian had just casually snapped a few pictures of her, but as she scrolled through the messages, she saw there were more than twenty of them, enough for a full photo set.
They were candid shots from various angles, very natural, with professional composition that revealed an artistic foundation.
Yao Ran looked at the photos, lost in thought. If it weren't for that night between them, perhaps she wouldn't be overthinking this…
As she was spacing out, another message came in from Ruan Xin.
【Ruan Xin】Director Yao, don't forget tonight.
Yao Ran replied: Okay, see you tonight.
Ruan Xin had said that Xu Xia had won the highest scholarship this semester and was in a good mood, so she was treating everyone to drinks to celebrate. Yao Ran understood that this was Ruan Xin's way of introducing the young woman to her network. She was truly thoughtful.
After replying to Ruan Xin, Yao Ran opened her chat with Jiang Nian again and replied with two words: Thank you.
Nothing more.
That evening, Yao Ran arrived on time. Naturally, they were drinking at their own bar. When she got there, Ruan Xin had already arrived with Xu Xia. There were a few other familiar faces as well, all from the same circle of friends.
"Yao Ran."
Yao Ran looked over. The person greeting her was Qiao Zhiyu. The two had known each other since they were studying abroad, both having majored in finance and economics. She smiled. "Director Qiao has time to join us tonight too."
"Yeah, thought I'd join in on the fun," Qiao Zhiyu said.
Ruan Xin was chatting with someone else, and the quiet, reserved girl by her side was Xu Xia. She had delicate features, but was a bit too thin.
"Director Ruan, how is it you look even better? What am I going to do? I'm starting to fall for you." They were all close friends, and someone wrapped an arm around Ruan Xin's waist.
"Get lost." Ruan Xin pushed the person's hand away with a smile. "Don't be improper. There's a kid here, don't be a bad influence."
Xu Xia smiled faintly, secretly biting her lip, remaining quiet.
"Not used to this?" Ruan Xin glanced at the girl beside her, then instructed, "You're not allowed to come to places like this by yourself, understand?" She was simply worried about Xu Xia. Xu Xia was too well-behaved, and girls like her were easily taken advantage of.
"Mhm." Xu Xia looked at her and smiled. "I'll only come with you anyway."
Ruan Xin smiled, then noticed a small detail. "Did you put on makeup today?"
Xu Xia's face flushed, and she didn't answer.
By then, almost everyone had arrived. Ruan Xin pulled Xu Xia along to introduce her to everyone, telling her to call them "Sister."
"What do you mean, 'Sister'?" Qiao Zhiyu joked. "She could probably call us 'Auntie,' couldn't she?"
"It's not that exaggerated, is it? The age gap isn't that big, right?" Ruan Xin retorted instinctively, though in truth, calling her "Auntie" wouldn't be wrong. When she was in university, Xu Xia was only a few years old.
Yao Ran listened to their banter, occasionally clinking glasses and taking a sip. She leaned back in her chair, and as her gaze swept elsewhere, her hand holding the wine glass froze.
Jiang Nian was here tonight, having a small get-together with Qiu Lan and the others.
Jiang Nian had also spotted Yao Ran.
There were plenty of empty tables tonight, so Jiang Nian's group sat nearby. As she took her seat, Jiang Nian smiled at Yao Ran as if in greeting. If Ji Xi hadn't told her, she certainly wouldn't have known Yao Ran would be here tonight…
What a coincidence. Yao Ran felt that perhaps fate was bringing them together a little too often.
From the corner of her eye, Yao Ran saw that Jiang Nian's table quickly grew lively. With Miss Jiang around, the atmosphere would probably never be dull.
Ruan Xin noticed Yao Ran was distracted. "What's wrong?"
Yao Ran silently brought her gaze back.
Ruan Xin followed Yao Ran's line of sight and saw Jiang Nian. So, she'd run into an acquaintance. She raised her glass and smiled a greeting at Jiang Nian. Seeing that Jiang Nian was also with a group, she didn't invite her over.
The music at the bar tonight was lovely, not too loud, perfect for a gathering of friends. After singing several songs in a row, the live singer began to interact with the audience. "Are there any friends who'd like to come on stage?"
Regulars knew it was time for the bar's random easter egg event, where anyone willing to sing on stage had a chance to get their bill waived.
These games were all Ruan Xin's ideas. She loved creating a lively atmosphere and had bluntly admitted that one of her reasons for opening the bar was to have more opportunities to admire beautiful women.
Although a free bill was tempting, not many people volunteered to go on stage, since you had to be the best singer to win.
"We finally hit the legendary easter egg event." Qiu Lan was visibly excited, relentlessly prodding Jiang Nian. "Classmate Jiang Nian, get up there! Use your talent to get us a free bill!"
Presented with such a great opportunity, Jiang Nian would have gone up on stage with gusto even without being pushed. She loved joining in on the fun.
As Jiang Nian stood up, Qiu Lan didn't forget to shout after her, "Sing something sultry!"
The moment Jiang Nian took the stage, the bar's atmosphere immediately intensified by several degrees. People who were drinking and chatting all turned their gazes over with interest.
Jiang Nian had no stage fright. In university, she was a regular at all sorts of galas—high-profile and flamboyant. Singing a song on stage was no difficult task for her.
Yao Ran had noticed early on that it was Jiang Nian on stage, but she only glanced briefly, not staring. It wasn't until Ruan Xin nudged her with an elbow, prompting her, that she looked toward the stage.
Jiang Nian chose a rather romantic and quiet love song.
The moment she opened her mouth to sing, she drew gasps of surprise from the audience. Someone who was both beautiful and could sing well was a delightful surprise.
Although Jiang Nian wasn't a professional, her voice was naturally pleasant. She had a real feel for slow songs, and the audience unconsciously quieted down to listen intently.
Qiu Lan had expected Jiang Nian to sing a song that would bring the house down. Instead, she found that her usually flamboyant friend had suddenly become a different person, so gentle and proper. But she had to admit, standing on stage like that made her even more alluring.
"Is Sister Nian in love?" Xiao Chen couldn't help but ask Qiu Lan.
"I think she's acting really strange too," Qiu Lan said.
A freshness tinged with passion. Yao Ran realized that Jiang Nian had a fervent energy in every aspect of her life, a stark contrast to her own coldness. She gazed at the stage, and as Jiang Nian sang while looking out at the audience, it seemed their eyes met, and yet it seemed they didn't.
"She's really multi-talented, and she has a great voice." Ruan Xin thought Jiang Nian was interacting with her and commented to Yao Ran, only to realize Yao Ran was listening with rapt attention and hadn't noticed her words.
In less than five minutes, the song ended, and the applause from the audience lasted for a long time. The host asked if anyone else wanted to take on the challenge, but no one was willing to go up.
"Sing another one, beautiful!"
"Yeah, yeah, sing another one!"
The crowd started to clamor.
Ruan Xin found the evening's excitement quite interesting, so she called over a nearby waiter and gave him a few instructions. Soon, the message reached the host's ears.
"Miss, our boss says you sing beautifully. If you sing another song, your next visit will be on the house too."
"The boss is awesome!"
"Now that's a generous boss."
…
"Alright." Amid the cheers, Jiang Nian wasn't coy. She glanced again in Yao Ran's direction and, turning the tables, asked the host, "What song would your boss like to hear?"
The host was momentarily stunned but quickly played along. "So you can sing anything?"
Only then did Ruan Xin realize something was off. The woman wasn't looking at her. Tonight, she sensed the atmosphere between Jiang Nian and Yao Ran was not quite right. It was suspicious.
Following her intuition, Ruan Xin leaned over and asked Yao Ran, "Did something happen on your trip?"
Yao Ran feigned a casual sip of her drink and replied, "What?"
"You and Jiang Nian." Ruan Xin smiled and said bluntly, "Why do I feel like the way she looks at you is a bit improper?"
"..."
Yao Ran glanced at her, exasperated and unwilling to respond.
Ruan Xin paused, then added, "And the way you look at her is pretty improper, too."
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